To Belong
by pooksta
Summary: Gordo and Miranda leave Lizzie for the summer before their first year of high school. During the summer Lizzie and Kate become friends. When Gordo and Miranda return, Miranda shares a life changing decision that she made over the summer. FINISHED
1. Alone for the Summer

To Belong  
  
Summary:  
  
Gordo and Miranda leave Lizzie for the summer before their first year of high school. During the summer Lizzie and Kate become friends. When Gordo and Miranda return, Miranda shares a life changing decision that she made over the summer.  
  
A/N:  
  
This is my first fan fic. I hope you like it. Please tell me what you think. I basically have the whole story written, but I'm going to put in a new chapter every couple of days so I can get some feedback before I add more so I can make changes if you guys really don't like something.  
  
Chapter One: Alone for the Summer  
  
Lizzie McGuire wasn't the coolest kid at her school, or the smartest, but that didn't matter to her right now, because she was officially done with middle school, unlike all of those seventh graders who would be merely in the eighth grade next year.  
  
Lizzie was leaving her middle school, her childhood, her safe haven for the last time. Leaving with her were her two best friends, Miranda Sanchez and David Gordon (less formally known as Gordo), who had not only survived through middle school with her, but who she had known since what seemed like forever.  
  
"I cannot believe that we are high schoolers! It seems like just yesterday we were little sixth graders, and now look at us," Miranda exclaimed.  
  
"We're not actually in high school yet," Gordo replied. "Plus, freshmen are like the scum of the earth. I heard that once a freshman was…"  
  
"Give it a rest Gordo. We know that you've been to high school once before and that you didn't have the best experience, but don't ruin it for the rest of us," Lizzie said.  
  
Gordo was often the one who kept Lizzie and Miranda in check when they went off in the deep end thinking about guys or clothes or, in this case, high school.  
  
"What ever," he said. "So, what are your plans for the summer?" he asked them.  
  
"For the three of us to hang out and try really hard to get absolutely nothing done, just like always," Lizzie said.  
  
"Well, you're gonna have to count me out this summer," Gordo said.  
  
"Why?" Lizzie asked, shocked.  
  
"I've been given the opportunity of a lifetime to go to the University of Southern California to study theater for the whole summer!"  
  
"What?!" Lizzie half screeched. "And leave Miranda and I here to do nothing by ourselves?"  
  
"Hey, you know that I've always wanted to be a director. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for me. I'm gonna be learning about what I love to do at a more challenging level in a highly accredited university. You should be happy for me," Gordo replied.  
  
"Okay, fine," Lizzie said. "Then, I guess it's just you and me, Miranda."  
  
"Um, actually, I've kinda got plans for the summer too."  
  
"What kind of plans?"  
  
"Well, my abuela lives in Mexico, and she wants me to visit her. So, my parents decided that we should go as a family. She lives in Morelos, which is right by Cancun."  
  
"What? Cancun is probably gonna be so hot you won't be able to survive for the summer. Why can't you just stay here and go for Christmas break or something. You can't both leave me," Lizzie said, exasperated.  
  
"Hey, I'm not happy to leave you here by yourself either, but my parents said that she's starting to act a little out there, if you know what I mean, and they don't how much longer she's gonna be around for," Miranda said.  
  
"Well, have a nice summer you guys. I'll just stay here and do nothing without you," Lizzie said. "So when do you guys leave, anyway?"  
  
"Tomorrow morning," the two said in unison.  
  
"What? Tomorrow morning? Both of you? This can't be happening." Lizzie could feel her throat swell. Summer was going be nothing like what she had imagined. What had happened to the three of them being together? Apparently that had left just as quickly as middle school.  
  
"You'll find stuff to do, Lizzie. I wish I could stick around longer, but I have three months of packing to do in less than 24 hours," Miranda said, and with a quick wave, she turned around and left.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, you'll have fun. Just be yourself," Gordo said. "I'll see you in August." Gordo turned around, and, suddenly, Lizzie was alone for the whole summer. Three months. Twelve long weeks. Lizzie turned and ran all the way home.  
  
  
  
"Hi, Lizzie. You're home early. Where are Gordo and Miranda? You guys always spend the first day of summer together," Lizzie's mom, Jo McGuire said.  
  
"Yeah, well, not any more. Things have changed."  
  
"What do you mean, honey?"  
  
"Oh, mom, it's awful. I had planned on spending the whole summer hanging out with Gordo and Miranda and doing everything with them, and now Gordo's going to the University of Southern California, and Miranda's going to Cancun. And that's not the worst part. They're both gonna be gone all summer," Lizzie said, breaking into sobs.  
  
"Oh, honey, that's awful," Jo said, hugging her daughter until she calmed down. "I have good news for you, then. This summer, the high school is doing a program for students who are gonna be freshmen next year. It's like a day camp, but for older kids. There's gonna be all sorts of things for you to do, and you can make some new friends."  
  
Lizzie looked up at her mother. "But I don't want any new friends. I want Gordo and Miranda to stay here so I can hang out with them all summer."  
  
"Just give it a chance it'll be fun, I promise. You'll get to know your way around the high school before the upperclassmen get there."  
  
"I don't know. I still don't want to spend the summer at a school."  
  
"It goes from ten to three every weekday. You'll enjoy it, I know."  
  
"Sure, mom, whatever you say. I'll be in my room," Lizzie said as she headed upstairs.  
  
"It starts tomorrow morning," Lizzie's mom called after her.  
  
A/N:  
  
So, what do you think so far? 


	2. Day Camp

To Belong  
  
A/N:  
  
Hey, Thanks for the reviews! Keep me updated on what you think.  
  
Chapter Two: Day Camp  
  
"Oh, Lizzie, you're growing up so fast. Are you ready to go to day camp?" Lizzie's little brother, Matt McGuire said, menacingly.  
  
"Shut up porcupine head," Lizzie shot back. "Or I'll..."  
  
"Lizzie, be nice to your brother," Lizzie's father, Sam McGuire said from behind his newspaper.  
  
"He started it," Lizzie whined. Matt grinned at Lizzie.  
  
"Matt, you too," Sam said, unenthusiastically.  
  
"Lizzie, are you ready to go?" Jo asked, coming into the kitchen.  
  
"I guess."  
  
Lizzie entered a huge gym at Hilridge High School. She couldn't believe how big it was. There were two full basketball courts in only one gym!  
  
Sitting on the bleachers were about 75 kids, all enthusiastically talking with friends.   
  
Lizzie scanned the bleachers for someone she knew, or at least recognized. There was no one.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie," a voice called out from near the top. It was Ethan Craft, Lizzie's middle school crush!  
  
Lizzie walked up the bleachers to where Ethan was sitting. "What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"Um, I don't really know," he said after a short silence.  
  
"Well well, look at what the cat dragged in this summer. I do believe that you are in the gym reserved for anybody but you," a snooty voice from behind Lizzie said. "I do believe you're standing in front of my seat.  
  
It was Kate, Lizzie's worst enemy from middle school, and now she was going to be stuck with her all summer.  
  
Kate pushed Lizzie aside, almost causing her to tumble down the bleachers, and sat down almost on top of Ethan.  
  
"Excuse me," Lizzie said.  
  
"You're excused for being such a klutz. Now go sit with your own kind. Oh wait, tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber left for the summer," Kate said.  
  
"Hey, there's room for both of you up here. You can sit on the other side of me, Lizzie," Ethan interrupted.  
  
"Thanks," Lizzie said as she sat down.  
  
Claire Miller was the next person to enter the gym.  
  
Lizzie didn't think the summer could get any worse.  
  
"Claire!" Kate shrieked. Claire looked up and then ran up the bleachers to where Kate was sitting and sat down next to here.  
  
"I was so scared that I wouldn't know anybody here. My mom forced me to come because she said I needed something to do over the summer. Like, I have cheerleading and money. I don't need some stupid day camp," Claire said.   
  
Claire was Kate's best friend, making her another one of Lizzie's worst nightmares.  
  
A whistle cut the noise in an instant. It was coming from a big muscular looking man on the gym floor.  
  
"Okay, listen up," the man said. "I am Mr. Clark, Hilridge high school's football coach and gym teacher. I'm in charge of this camp, and you will have the time of your life this summer."  
  
A loud murmur went through the bleachers.  
  
"I hope he doesn't want us to run laps or something because then I would actually have to work, which I am not doing this summer," Kate whispered to Claire.  
  
The whistle blasted again. "As long as you respect me, this camp will be the most fun you've ever had," he said. "We will do a lot of things outdoors, as well as some things indoors." Mr. Clark started to go over what the students were going to do over the summer. The students were going to be given the chance to do a different thing every week with their assigned group. The students were split into groups of 20.  
  
Mr. Clark started to ramble off the names of the groups. "...Josh Lawson, Jean Taite, Lizzie McGuire, and Kate Sanders," He shouted. "Go meet in that corner of the gym." He pointed to an empty spot on the gym floor.   
  
Both Kate and Lizzie looked shell-shocked. Lizzie couldn't believe her ears. The summer just kept on getting worse. Now not only would she be stuck with Kate in the same school for the summer, but she would be stuck in the same group with her biggest tormentor.  
  
Lizzie and Kate joined the group of other nervous, but excited looking students. A nice looking woman who looked like she was no older than 30 walked up to the group and introduced herself. "Hello, students. My name is Mrs. Nance. I'm gonna be your leader for the summer. I teach 11th grade English and..." Her voice was drowned out by the rapidly increasing noise level of the gym.  
  
Mr. Clark's whistle pierced the air once more. The gym fell silent. "Okay, now that you're in your groups, follow your leaders to your designated classrooms."  
  
Lizzie, Kate, and the group followed Mrs. Nance into classroom 187.  
  
"This is where we will meet every morning," Mrs. Nance said. She went on to explain in more detail what they would be doing over the course of the summer, then she gave them time to meet each other.  
  
"I can't believe that I've been stuck in a group with you. It's bad enough that I'm here," Kate said to Lizzie.  
  
"At least your friends are here," Lizzie said back.  
  
"Yeah, but you want to be here."  
  
"No I don't. Do you know what I would give to be sleeping right now?"  
  
"You? What about me. This is taking time out of my summer beauty sleep."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm missing The Price is Right for this."  
  
"You watch that show?" Kate asked, her eyes widening.  
  
"Yeah, Gordo and Miranda thinks it's stupid, but I think that it's awesome."  
  
"Me too! I don't know anybody else who watches that show. My friends think it's stupid too.  
  
At the end of the day, the whole camp met in the gym again. Lizzie and Kate meandered up the bleachers to where Claire was already sitting, joking about crazy people that had been on the Price is Right along the way.  
  
"Kate, what are you doing?" Claire asked when they made it to where she was sitting.  
  
"What do you mean?" Kate asked back.  
  
"You are talking to Lizzie McGuire. That person that you have called a loser nearly everyday of your life."  
  
"She's my friend now."  
  
"It doesn't work like that."  
  
"Well, I changed the rules, and Lizzie is our friend, so what are you gonna do about it?"  
  
"Hello, ladies," Ethan said as he walked up the bleachers towards the three. "I hope you girls had a nice day."  
  
"We did," Kate said, referring to her and Lizzie. "But you'll have to ask Claire too, because she was wasting her breath telling me who I could be friends with."  
  
"Wait, doesn't we mean the three of you? Because Claire and Lizzie and you is three, and we means more than one person, but then if…"  
  
"Never mind," Kate snapped. "Let's just get this day over with."  
  
"Hi, Lizzie. How was camp today?" Jo asked her daughter as she got in the car.  
  
"It was great!" Lizzie exclaimed.  
  
"What did you do?"  
  
"Today was when we got to know everybody, and we were told about everything that we're gonna be doing for the rest of the summer. Next week, my group is cooking."  
  
"That's wonderful. So, have you met anybody new yet?"  
  
"No, not exactly, but Kate is there, and we're in the same group. Did you know that both of us like to watch The Price is Right?"  
  
"Do you mean Kate Sanders, the Kate who used to be your friend and then treated you like dirt once you got into junior high and tried to put an embarrassing picture of you in the yearbook last year?"  
  
"Yeah, but she's not as bad as you may think. I mean, she is human after all. Maybe now that she's gonna be in high school, she's decided to be nicer."  
  
As Lizzie and her mom pulled into the driveway of their fairly large suburban home, Matt bounded out of the front door to meet them as they got out of the car.  
  
"What do you want, dog breath?" Lizzie asked her brother.  
  
"Now, Lizzie, that's not very…" Jo started to say.  
  
"Can Lanny and Malina come over today?" Lanny Onasis and Malina Bianco were Matt's two best friends, and the three of them always seemed to find a way to stir up trouble.  
  
"Sure, but they can't stay for dinner," Jo said.  
  
"Why not?" Matt whined.  
  
"Because I didn't prepare enough food for our whole family and your friends."  
  
"Well, Lizzie doesn't need to eat."  
  
"Mom, listen to him. If anybody shouldn't eat, it's Matt," Lizzie shot back at Matt.  
  
"You two need to cut it out. You guys haven't even been together for five minutes today, and you're already fighting. Now, Matt, go call your friends. They can stay over until 5:30." 


	3. Friends?

Chapter Three: Friends?  
  
  
  
Lizzie had been having the best summer ever, and Miranda and Gordo weren't even around. In fact, Lizzie was becoming pretty close to Kate, Claire, and Ethan. Lizzie had never dreamed in a million years that she would have popular friends. Being friends with people at Kate's status was not only cool, but now a large portion of the incoming freshman class thought that Lizzie had been popular all along. Now all she had to do was get Ethan to like her and she would be…  
  
"Lizzie, I taped last week's episodes of The Price is Right. Do you wanna spend the night at my house tomorrow so we can watch them," Kate asked Lizzie, snapping Lizzie out of her thoughts. The girls were in the gym for free time, the only time of the day when all of the campers were together.  
  
"Sure," she replied. "I'll bring some popcorn. And maybe if we have time we can rent a Josh Hartnet movie. He looks especially hot in Pearl Harbor."  
  
"Yeah, but you can't forget Black Hawk Down."  
  
"Good morning, ladies," Ethan said, greeting Lizzie and Kate with a smile.  
  
"Hi, Ethan," Kate and Lizzie said in unison.  
  
Kate was still the only thing between Ethan and Lizzie, but Lizzie knew that since Kate was popular, and Lizzie was the new girl to the group, Kate had a better shot at getting him, but Lizzie refused to admit it.  
  
"Can you believe that this is our last week of camp?" Kate asked Ethan, ignoring Lizzie all together. Just think, five more days, and we'll have to part for the summer."  
  
"This camp ends? I thought it lasted forever," Ethan said, puzzled. Ethan wasn't the brightest person, but he had the looks, and, to Lizzie, that's all he needed. As long as Ethan had his hair, he was worth having. Lizzie had tried time and time again to look for a guy who was smart, but she just couldn't resist Ethan and the thought of running her fingers through his shiny, dirty blonde hair.  
  
"Yeah, Ethan. Duh. School starts in three weeks," Kate told him.  
  
"Oh, so you mean this is kinda like summer break where we do nothing for a long time and then suddenly we have to go back to school?"  
  
"Yep, just like summer vacation," Lizzie spoke up, wondering at the same time how he got so lucky to have his looks.  
  
"So, we should be sure to go do something together after this camp lets out," Kate said to Lizzie, Ethan, and Claire, who had just showed up.  
  
"We can go swimming in my pool. It has a slide and a diving board," Claire said.  
  
"Sure, sounds good," Kate said.  
  
"Are you in?" Claire asked, turning to Lizzie.  
  
"Uh, sure, but Miranda and Gordo are both coming back next week, so I plan on spending some time with them too." Claire and Kate were silent and Ethan looked deeply puzzled by what Lizzie said. "What?" Lizzie asked after a couple seconds of silence.  
  
"I thought you weren't friends with those rejects anymore," Kate said.  
  
"Uh, what made you think that?" Lizzie asked, confused.  
  
"Hey, Gordo's gonna be back," Ethan suddenly exclaimed. "I thought he moved to the University of Southern California."  
  
"No," Lizzie said. "He was just there for the summer."  
  
"Oh," Ethan said, slowly.  
  
"You have a choice to make, Lizzie," Claire said, breaking the silence. "It's either us or your reject friends who left you for the summer."  
  
"That's not fair," Lizzie said, shocked at the news. "What's wrong with being friends with all of you?"  
  
"Don't forget the unwritten rules. You can't be friends with popular people and rejects at the same time," Kate said.  
  
"But you broke the rules by being friends with me."  
  
"Yeah, that was a special circumstance," Kate replied.  
  
"I have to go," Lizzie said, leaving the three behind to go wait for her mother outside of the school. Lizzie was confused and upset. Why did everything have to be so complicated, she thought. She would ask Miranda about it when she got back from Mexico next Tuesday.  
  
  
  
The rest of the week went by without much of a hitch. Kate and Claire didn't bring up Miranda and Gordo, so Lizzie didn't tell them what she thought.  
  
The next Tuesday, Lizzie sat next to her telephone all day, watching it like a hawk.  
  
"Lizzie, it's eleven pm. Maybe Miranda got home late and decided to call you tomorrow," Lizzie's mother said, yawning.  
  
"No, she'll call. I know she will. Miranda said she would call," Lizzie replied, agitated.  
  
"I'm sure she will honey, but she's probably had a long day today. Go to bed. She'll call you in the morning. I know."  
  
Lizzie fell asleep watching the phone.   
  
The next morning, Lizzie nearly jumped out of her skin when a sudden ringing noise coming from her phone startled her out of her light sleep.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Lizzie? Is that you? You sound awful. Did I wake you up or something?" It was Miranda.  
  
"Why didn't you call last night? You promised me you would," Lizzie said, gaining her composure.  
  
"Sorry, but I didn't get home until 11:30 last night, and I was exhausted from the long flight. So, are you gonna ask me how Mexico was?"  
  
"But you promised you would call last night."  
  
"I said I was sorry. Next time I'll remember to call at extremely late hours of the night when I'm exhausted just to make you happy."  
  
"That's what I would have done."  
  
"Sure. So, ask me how Mexico was."  
  
"Oh my gosh, you will not believe who I hung out with all summer. Ethan Craft," Lizzie said, completely ignoring Miranda.  
  
"That's great. I'm really happy for you, but I just spent nearly three months in Mexico. I thought you might be interested. I took like a million pictures, and I have souvenirs for you and Gordo."  
  
"Yeah, Ethan. That's right. The man of my dreams."  
  
"Lizzie, are you feeling okay?"  
  
"I've never been better. Ethan Craft. Ethan."  
  
"Lizzie, I have to go. Maybe we can meet at the Digital Bean tomorrow."  
  
"Oh, I can't. Me, Claire, and Kate are going to see a movie, and then we're going to Claire's to go swimming, and Ethan might be there."  
  
"Wait! Hold on. What on earth is going on? I leave for one summer, and now you're best friends with Kate Sanders? I must have lost my mind."  
  
"Sorry I like to have friends. She's not all bad."  
  
"Is this some sort of sick joke or something?"  
  
"No. You're being really rude. I need to go. I told Kate I would call her, so maybe we can set up a time to hang out later."  
  
"Yeah, maybe," Miranda said, dully. "Have fun."  
  
"I will, bye."  
  
Lizzie hung up the phone, wondering what Miranda's problem was. So she made some new friends. Big deal.  
  
Lizzie's phone rang again.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Lizzie. It's Kate. You still coming to the movies with me and Claire tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah, of course."  
  
"Good. My mom is gonna pick you up tomorrow at 3 pm. After the movie, we're all gonna go to Claire's house to spend the night."  
  
"Are we still goin swimming?"  
  
"Duh. Ethan is gonna be there."  
  
"He is?!" Lizzie asked, suddenly more interested.  
  
"Yeah, what's the big deal?"  
  
"Oh, I'm just happy to hear that we'll have some, uh, boys there."  
  
"Right. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Okay, bye." Lizzie hung up the phone. She always felt like she had to be on guard when she was talking to Kate or Claire. Both of them could turn on her in a second.  
  
Lizzie, Kate, and Claire had been at Claire's house for an hour, and what Lizzie thought was a small get together had turned into the party of the century. Everybody, it seemed, was there, including Ethan and every other popular kid that Lizzie had ever met. There were popular people who were coming to Hilridge from the other two middle schools, and there were popular sophomores there and even a couple juniors and seniors. Lizzie couldn't believe it. Not only was she at the party that would be the talk of the freshman class in a few weeks, but she fit in at the party that would be the talk of the freshman class in a few weeks.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie. This party is off the hook. Way to go!" a guy she had never met before said as he walked by. She had been getting comments like that from people all night. It was 10:00 and Lizzie had already been thrown in the pool twice and won four out of five chicken fights she had in the pool with people she hardly recognized.  
  
Lizzie was starting to get sleepy, so she went inside to sit down. On her way inside, she spotted Ethan and Kate in the kitchen.  
  
"Hey guys, this party is…" Lizzie didn't have time to finish her sentence.  
  
"Look, Ethan. I like you and you like me. Wouldn't it be great to start high school unavailable? Just think of all the girls who will be interested in you then," Kate said to Ethan. "Girls always go for the unavailable guys."  
  
"I don't know, Kate. If I go out with you then…" Ethan was cut off by Kate who reached up and kissed him.  
  
Lizzie stood there, stunned. Kate, who she was starting to trust just went behind her back and took her man.   
  
It was just then that Kate decided to turn around. "Lizzie," she said, half surprised and half arrogantly.  
  
Ethan jumped in. "Kate, I think I have to go. I'll talk later. Bye," he said.  
  
Kate ignored him and kept staring Lizzie down.  
  
"I thought we were friends. Friends don't go kissing people like Ethan behind their friend's back," Lizzie stammered.  
  
"Look, Liz. I was hoping it wouldn't come down to this, but Ethan doesn't like you. He likes me. You don't stand a change with him. Give up McGuire."  
  
"You haven't changed one bit. You're still the same back-stabbing jerk of a friend that will do anything to get the attention of her school. You'll even use a good guy like Ethan just to become more popular. Well, if you're what people call popular, then popular must mean the scum of the earth." Kate's mouth hung open in complete shock. Lizzie was just as stunned by what she just told Kate. There was no way that just came out of Lizzie's mouth.  
  
"Well," Kate said, regaining her composure. "Why do you like Ethan? Obviously not because he's smart. You're just as bad as I am."  
  
Lizzie didn't know what to say. She turned and fled.   
  
  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Lizzie's mom met her at the gate to Claire's house.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Jo asked.  
  
"No. Just take me home," Lizzie said, trying her best to stop the tears that were swelling up in her eyes. The best night of her life had just turned into the worst.  
  
After a few moments, Jo spoke up again. "Gordo called at about 9:00. He's back home and was wandering if you and Miranda wanted to go hang out and talk about your summer vacations. He also said that he called Miranda, and he said that she wanted to tell you and Gordo something."  
  
  
  
The next morning, Gordo called again, and arranged for the three to meet at the Digital Bean for lunch.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, what's up?" Gordo said when Lizzie entered the Digital Bean.  
  
"Nothing. Where's Miranda?"  
  
"She should be here in a few minutes."  
  
"Hey, your mom told me that you were at Claire's house last night."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Oh, it's just that Miranda said that you and Kate and Claire were now friends. I knew that I must have lost my mind."  
  
"It's possible."  
  
"Oh, sorry."  
  
After what seemed like and eternity of silence, Miranda walked into the Digital Bean. "Hi, Gordo. How was your summer?" she asked, not even glancing at Lizzie.  
  
"Wait. What on earth is going on? I come back and Lizzie is at Claire's house and you guys aren't talking to each other," Gordo said, frustrated. "Am I on the right planet?"  
  
"She didn't ask me how Mexico was, and she rubbed in my face how much time she spent with Ethan this summer," Miranda said.  
  
"Well, nothing is gonna happen between Ethan and me anyways, so I don't see what the big deal is," Lizzie shot back, agitated.  
  
"You certainly thought you had a shot at Ethan yesterday morning, and you're suddenly better friends with your two worst enemies than with me, and you still haven't asked me about Mexico."  
  
"You both left me for the summer. What did you want me to do? Feel sorry for myself and do nothing because you guys weren't here?"  
  
"You said you wanted to do nothing at the beginning of the summer."  
  
"Well, maybe I changed my mind."  
  
"No, you changed. I'm glad I'm going to a boarding school this year to get away from you."  
  
"What?" Gordo asked, even more confused than before. "Okay, Lizzie is friends with popular people, and you're going to a boarding school, Miranda?"  
  
"Yeah, that's right," Miranda said. "On the east coast, so I'll be as far away from you as possible," Miranda added, directing what she said to Lizzie.  
  
"Good riddance," Lizzie replied. "I have to go," she said, grabbing her purse."  
  
"Wait, stop," Gordo said. "Now we are gonna talk about everything that has happened this summer together in a civilized manner, no matter how we feel about each other at this point." Lizzie rolled her eyes and sat back down. "Okay, Miranda, tell us about Mexico and this whole boarding school thing."  
  
"Mexico was beautiful, but it would have been a lot more fun if you guys were there," Miranda said. "And as for boarding school, I don't know. I guess I just want some change in my life, and this boarding school specializes in the arts, so I can play my violin a lot more. I also just like the idea of being more independent."   
  
"Miranda, are you crazy?" Lizzie asked, astonished. "You left me for the summer, and you got such a kick out of that, that you're gonna leave me for the rest of my life?"  
  
"Number one, it's not the rest of our life. I'll still be here for Christmas, spring break, and summer vacation. And secondly, I'm not leaving because of you. I'm leaving because of me. You make it sound like the whole universe revolves around you. Look, I'm not gonna take this. I'm leaving in less than a week. I'm out of here. Have a nice school year." Miranda's eyes welled up with tears as she left.  
  
"Lizzie, don't you think you were at least a little bit harsh?" Gordo asked after Miranda was gone.  
  
"No. There are schools around here that she could play her violin at, but where does she decide to go? The east coast. Thousands of miles away. It's her fault that I'm mad at her."  
  
"Lizzie, Miranda is probably having a hard time right now accepting the fact that she's gonna be so far away from us for so long. It doesn't matter why she left us. She just really needs our support right now."  
  
"So you're willing to just let her go? You've lost your mind. I have other friends who aren't stabbing me in the back. Goodbye." Lizzie stood up and stalked out of the Digital Bean, leaving Gordo alone.  
  
A/N  
  
Let me know what you think! Many changes are in store for Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda! 


	4. So Far Away

A/N:  
  
Hey, I got bored and decided to put up a new chapter sooner than I had planned.  
  
Chapter Four: So Far Away  
  
Lizzie McGuire stood in front of a locker that had to be at least a foot taller than her and only about six inches wide. How was she going to fit all of her books into this?  
  
"Hey, Lizzie. It looks like our lockers are on other sides of the building from each other. This school is so big," Gordo said in awe.  
  
"It's not that bad," Lizzie replied.  
  
"Well, I guess it helps to spend a summer here before your freshman year."  
  
"Yeah, you're probably right, but don't forget that you did spend a little bit of last year as a high school student."  
  
"True, but I still forgot how intimidating this building can be."  
  
"Well, I'm sure the sophomores, juniors, and seniors don't help much. So, what's your schedule like?" Lizzie asked.  
  
"See for yourself." Gordo handed Lizzie his schedule.  
  
"Well, it looks like we have first period English and seventh period Spanish together."  
  
"Cool. Can I walk you to English, then?" Gordo asked, offering Lizzie his elbow.  
  
"Why, of course," Lizzie said, linking her elbow in his.  
  
"Hello, Lizzie," a voice said from behind her.  
  
"Kate," Lizzie said, unlinking her arm from Gordo's and turning around.  
  
"I thought I made it clear enough the first time. It's either you, or…"  
  
"Gordo, I'll meet you in English in a sec, okay," Lizzie said, cutting Kate off before Gordo found out that Lizzie had to choose between him and popularity.  
  
"Okay, see you there," Gordo said, eying Lizzie a bit strangely.  
  
"Kate, you can't be serious."  
  
"Well, I am, and if I see you hanging out with Gordo or Miranda ever again, you are out. It's that simple."  
  
"Miranda is at a boarding school this year."  
  
"Oh, that would explain why she wasn't in my homeroom."  
  
"Kate, I can't just decide. It's more complicated than you're making it out to be."  
  
"Look, I definitely don't know where you're coming from, but I do know that everybody thinks that you're popular."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yep, but I could change that in an instant, so you had better tell me by the end of today."  
  
"Fine, by the end of the day."  
  
Lizzie couldn't believe she had to think about whether or not she wanted to be popular. The answer was simple. No. Lizzie knew that Gordo didn't judge her and that Kate and every other popular person based their lives off of judging people and made stabbing people in the back perfectly acceptable, but the popular life wasn't all bad. It seemed like there was a party every night, and all the guys she met were really cute. There was always someone who wanted to hang out with her, and she was looked up to by nearly everybody. Lizzie felt like she was choosing between Gordo and the rest of the ninth grade.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, you're lookin good as always." It was Ethan.  
  
"Are you sure you should be saying things like that when you have a girlfriend?" Lizzie asked, sullenly.  
  
"I have a girlfriend?" Ethan replied, confused.  
  
"Yeah, Kate."  
  
"What are you talking about? Girlfriend?"  
  
Lizzie was starting to feel flustered. "You kissed her in the kitchen at Claire's house during that party."  
  
"Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie. Kate and me are just friends. Kate was just, um, confused."  
  
"So, you're not dating her?"  
  
"Nope, we are friends. Just friends."  
  
So Ethan was still single. There was no way Lizzie could sacrifice her popularity now. All sorts of people had been coming up to Lizzie in the hallways to talk about how awesome the party was, or just asking her what was up. She didn't want to sacrifice any of that. Especially Ethan. People that she didn't even know were smiling at her or saying, "Hi."  
  
"Hey, Ethan, I have to go, but I'll see you around." Lizzie turned around and headed straight for the guidance office to have them rearrange her schedule. Lizzie couldn't just tell Gordo that she couldn't be his friend anymore. She would just have to try to avoid him. For the rest of her life.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, I didn't see you in English today, and then when you didn't show up for Spanish, I got worried." Gordo had found her after school in the main hallway.  
  
"Oh, I had some, um, complications with my schedule. It doesn't look like we'll be having any classes together. Sorry." Lizzie looked around to make sure that nobody saw her talking to Gordo.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked, noticing Lizzie's strange behavior.  
  
"Look, I have to go. Maybe I'll see you later."  
  
"Yeah, maybe."  
  
"Bye," Lizzie said awkwardly and then walked off in search of Kate.  
  
A/N:  
  
Well, what do you think? 


	5. Under the Influence

A/N: Brace yourself for this chapter!  
  
Chapter Five: Under the Influence  
  
"Kate!" Lizzie yelled as Kate opened the main doors of the high school to leave. "I heard Claire's parents are out of town, and she's throwing a party tonight."  
  
Kate turned around, smiling cunningly. "You're not as dumb as you look, Lizzie. I'm glad to see you made the right decision for once."  
  
Lizzie wasn't sure that was a compliment, but she ignored it."Well, come on. I know someone who can drive. She said she would take us to the mall. The first big party of the year is like the Oscars. It's also unofficially a fashion show."  
  
That night, Lizzie showed up at Kate's house wearing a pink tube top and a short jean skirt. Under her outfit, she had on a brand new bikini. Lizzie hadn't chosen a single thing. Kate did the shopping and chose what Lizzie was going to wear.  
  
Eyes turned as Lizzie entered the house, and about an hour into the party, Lizzie was having the time of her life. She danced, talked, and participated in several chicken fights in the pool. Lizzie found herself on the shoulders of Josh Williams, a senior at Hilridge, more than any other guy.   
  
Josh was a star tight end on the varsity football team, and he was also on the lacrosse team. This made him buff, which worked wonderfully with his dark hair and gorges dark brown eyes. He was your typical tall, dark, and handsome guy that got drooled over all the time. Of course, his silver BMW convertible didn't help that factor much.  
  
"Hey, we should join the Olympic chicken fighting team or something," he said to Lizzie after they won their third chicken fight in a row. "We make a great team." Lizzie blushed lightly. Josh really did seem like a nice guy.  
  
"Hey, Josh, come over here for a sec. We need your help," a football player called from the back door of Claire's house.  
  
"I'll be right back, Liz," he said to Lizzie. "You don't mind if I call you that. Liz, I mean," he added, a little flustered as he started getting out of the pool.  
  
Lizzie smiled and blushed again. She loved it when guys babbled like that. "No, Liz is great," she replied, following Josh onto the deck.  
  
"Cool, I'll be right back."  
  
"Okay," Lizzie called as Josh disappeared into the house.  
  
A few minutes later, four football players, including Josh, stumbled into the backyard rolling a large metal barrel bellowing, "We've got the beer!"  
  
Cheers rang out as the boys carefully rolled the keg to a stop and heaved it onto a table. Lizzie's heart stopped. She knew this was illegal, and if she ever got caught, well, she didn't want to think of the punishment her parents would come up with.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, can I get you a drink?" Josh asked, walking towards her.  
  
"No, I don't think so," Lizzie replied, uncertainly.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Well, maybe just a small one."  
  
"Okay, cool. I'll be back in a sec."  
  
Lizzie's conscience was screaming at her to run away, but Josh was so popular, and if Lizzie could get with him, then maybe she could make Ethan jealous.  
  
"Here you go," Josh said, handing Lizzie a full cup of beer in a clear plastic cup.  
  
Lizzie looked at the cup. There had to be about ten ounces of beer in it. Josh was chugging down his cup right next to Lizzie, but the tanish liquid with the white foam on top just didn't look very tempting.  
  
"Hey, I thought you were thirsty," Josh said, eyeing Lizzie's full cup of beer.  
  
"Oh yeah," Lizzie said. Then, caving into the world of peer pressure and popularity, she took a small sip. It was disgusting, and she speculated how Josh could chug half of his cup down without even taking a breath.  
  
"You'll get used to the taste," Josh said, noticing the grimace on Lizzie's face after she took her first sip. "I thought it was nasty the first time I tried it too."  
  
"Oh," Lizzie said, not feeling encouraged at all, but she took another sip anyway, followed by a bigger sip and then a bigger one, until she was gulping down her cup just like Josh had done.  
  
"Hey, Liz, don't drink it too fast. You'll get a stomachache," Josh said, watching Lizzie chug down her cup of beer.  
  
"This stuff isn't so bad," Lizzie said, taking a final gulp. "I think I could use another cup."  
  
"Okay, I'll be right back," he said.  
  
Josh jogged back to the keg and got two more cups of beer.  
  
"Thanks," Lizzie said, taking one of the beers from Josh's hand. Suddenly, the world seemed to tilt and she started to tilt with it. Some of the beer sloshed out of the cup.   
  
"Hey, you okay?" Josh asked, eyeing her with concern.  
  
"Um, yeah, I'm fine." Lizzie didn't feel completely fine, though. She thought she saw the lights start to dim, and she had difficulty focusing on Josh's face. "Hey, wanna dance?" she asked, suddenly.  
  
Inside, the living room had been turned into a dance floor, and the furniture had been haphazardly moved to the sides of the room. The room was jammed with people bumping and grinding and spilling their beers everywhere. Lizzie took Josh's hand and led him onto the dance floor.  
  
A thick, pulsating beat came heavily out of the speakers. It had the kind of base that could make one's head swim. Lizzie started slowly moving her hips and Josh followed suit, placing his hands on Lizzie's moving hips. The two swayed into the dining room where the dancers thinned out. Lizzie drank the rest of her beer and asked Josh for a refill, which he did, getting one for himself as well.  
  
Lizzie felt like she had left her body, and she had been given the remote control to this other body on the dance floor. Her mind was swimming, and had trouble processing her thoughts. She wasn't even positive to what she was doing. Every once in a while, the world seemed to tilt, and she would stumble into another couple.  
  
Josh returned to the dining room to see Lizzie on a table, dancing to her own rhythm. The table was surrounded by guys and girls, cheering Lizzie on and whistling and whatnot. "Yeah," Josh yelled. "That's my girl!" He climbed on the table with Lizzie and they started to grind. Then, other kids started climbing up onto the table and the dancing continued as another song with a faster beat came on.  
  
"You're a great dancer," Josh yelled to Lizzie over the music. "I didn't think you could be so wild. It's sexy."  
  
Lizzie smiled, still processing what Josh had said. Something about wild and sexy, but Lizzie just couldn't put the words together. Before she had the chance, though, Josh leaned in and kissed her. Lizzie couldn't really process what was happening, but instinct told her to kiss back. Josh's tongue tasted like beer. Josh finally drew back, smiling. "You're a great kisser, too," he said and reached in for another one.   
  
  
  
Lizzie woke up the next morning with a headache that sent shots of pain down to her toes. When she opened her eyes, the light made the pain in her head ten times worse. Lizzie groaned.  
  
"Lizzie, wake up. You need to watch your brother while your father and I go run some errands this morning," Lizzie's mom called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Lizzie? Are you awake yet? It's noon."  
  
Lizzie groaned again. "Yeah, I'm up," she croaked.  
  
"Lizzie, are you okay? You don't sound very good."  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just woke up. That's all." her mom's talking was making Lizzie's head hurt worse.  
  
"Okay, have a nice afternoon." Lizzie heard the front door shut and a car pull out of the McGuire driveway. "Good, they're gone," Lizzie mumbled to herself. Just then, a wave on nausea passed over her, and she stumbled to the toilet just in time. Then, she flushed the toilet and slowly got up. She staggered over to the medicine cabinet and grabbed the Tylenol. Lizzie struggled to open the bottle, and when she finally did, the pills went flying all over the bathroom. She cursed under her breath. Lizzie took four of the remaining pills in the bottle and swallowed them with a swig of water. Then, she started crawling around the floor, picking up all the pills she had sent flying.  
  
"Somebody looks and smells a little green. Is it a lizard? No! Is it Godzilla? No! Is it Lizzie? Yes!" Matt yelled the last word, startling Lizzie who tried to stand up but banged her head on the back of the sink. Lizzie let out a yelp while struggling to her feet.  
  
"Get out of here you bad breathed toad," Lizzie angrily retorted.  
  
"If anybody had bad breath, it's you."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. Just get out!" Lizzie slammed the door to the bathroom. She could feel her brain pulsating in her scull. Maybe she just needed a shower and a bunch of mouthwash.  
  
By the time Lizzie's parents got home, Lizzie felt a lot better. Her screaming headache had diminished into a dull roar and she had cleaned herself up. Lizzie had gone to bed with the same clothes she had worn last night and her hair had been a mess. Not to mention her breath, which could have killed Godzilla.  
  
"Lizzie, Kate called you this morning around 11," Lizzie's mom said.  
  
"Oh, thanks. I'll call her," Lizzie replied.  
  
"Gordo called too."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"What time did you get home last night? I didn't see you come in. Your dad and I were so tired, we went to sleep at around nine."  
  
"Uh." Lizzie didn't know. She didn't even remember coming home last night. "By curfew?"  
  
"Oh, good. I knew that I could trust you." Lizzie's heart cringed. She didn't remember when she had returned home last night, but she was positive that it wasn't around her 11 o'clock curfew. "Hey, what's up with you and your friends, anyway? I know it's been tough with Miranda gone and all, but you seem to have lost contact with Gordo, and you've been hangin out with Kate almost everyday after school and on the weekends."  
  
"Oh, you know how people change," Lizzie replied. "I'm gonna go call Kate now. Lizzie turned and hurried up to her room before her mother's interrogation had a chance to continue.  
  
  
  
"Wow, you really know how to snag the older guys," Kate said to Lizzie over the phone.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lizzie replied, honestly.  
  
"Don't be silly. You and Josh were getting pretty close on that dance floor. You guys were all over each other."  
  
"You don't mean Josh Williams, do you?"  
  
"Lizzie, stop jokin around. We all saw you and Josh grinding and makin out on the table. I can't imagine what you guys did when Josh gave you a ride home."  
  
"Josh gave me a ride home?"  
  
"Don't play stupid Lizzie. It's startin to piss me off."  
  
"I swear I have no idea what you're talkin about."  
  
"What do you remember from last night?"  
  
"Uh, I went to Claire's house because there was a party, and then I did a bunch of chicken fighting and then Josh offered me some beer and then we were dancing."  
  
"Man, you must have been smashed. How much beer did you have, or remember having, anyway?"  
  
"Well, three I think."  
  
"Three's not supposed to be enough to make you forget, though."  
  
"Hey, there's a first time for everything."  
  
"That's for sure. You're gonna have a blast at school Monday. You may not remember everything from last night, but everybody else does."  
  
"Great."  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you Monday. Bye."  
  
Lizzie's heart was pounding in her throat. There was no way that she could believe she kissed Josh Williams, but the more she thought about it, the more an image of Josh's mouth closing in on hers and his tongue in the back of her throat became visible. She just hoped that was all they did.  
  
A/N: So what did happen between Lizzie and Josh? Let me know what you think of this chapter! 


	6. Where We Stand

A/N: Here's the next Ch! Let me know what you think.  
  
Chapter Six: Where We Stand  
  
Josh called Lizzie on Sunday.  
  
"Lizzie, there's a boy on the phone for you!" Matt yelled up the stairs to Lizzie, who was in her room.  
  
"Hello?" Lizzie said, picking up the phone.   
  
"Hey, Liz. What's up?" the voice on the other end of the line said.  
  
"Josh?" Lizzie asked, more shocked than pleasantly surprised. Lizzie heard a snicker. "Matt, get off the phone before I break your damn neck."  
  
"Oh, Lizzie, mom's not gonna like that one."  
  
"Hang up the phone, Matt," Lizzie replied, panicked.  
  
"Fine. Have fun talking to your boyfriend," Matt said before he hung up.  
  
"He's not my... I mean." Lizzie felt mortified. "I am so sorry."  
  
"Hey, it's okay. I have a little brother in middle school too. He's a real pain."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"No, but did it make you feel any better?"  
  
Lizzie laughed. "So, why did you call me?"  
  
"Well, I heard that a certain someone can't drive yet, and I have this nice leather bucket seat on the passenger side of my car that's been feelin awfully lonely lately while I've been drivin to school, and I was wondering if you would do me the honor of filling it in."  
  
"Uh, sure. I guess."  
  
"Great. I'll pick you up at 7:30 tomorrow morning?"  
  
"Great, see you then, bye."  
  
"Wait, Liz. About last night." Lizzie's heart started to pound.  
  
"What about last night?"  
  
"Well, that kiss and everything." Lizzie's eyes became saucers.  
  
"Everything? Nothing else happened, right?"  
  
"Well, the ride home that I gave you."  
  
"Oh," Lizzie said, relieved.  
  
"Yeah. Does that mean that we're, you know?"  
  
"No, I can't say I do."  
  
"Uh, dating?" Lizzie was silent. "Liz, are you still there?"  
  
"Yeah," Lizzie replied, her voice barely a whisper. There was only one other time she had used that word to describe her and another guy. That was when Ronny Jacobs had asked her out in eighth grade. He broke her heart not 48 hours later by telling her that he liked another girl.  
  
"Lizzie?" Lizzie didn't know what to say.  
  
"I guess."  
  
"That didn't really sound convincing."  
  
"Sorry, I'm just a bit surprised. That's all."  
  
"Surprised? We kissed last night."  
  
"I know. And that's all we did," Lizzie said, trying to make sure that she hadn't forgotten anything else.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I just haven't been asked out in a while. Sorry. I'd be happy to date you."  
  
"Great, Liz. I'll see you tomorrow then?"  
  
"Yeah, bye Josh."  
  
Lizzie hung up her phone with a sigh. Why wasn't she more excited? Josh Williams wasn't your average ordinary boy. He was a senior. She was a freshman. That sort of thing never happened, but that wasn't all. He was a star football player and he was really hot. She was sure to make Ethan jealous. Girls were all over him, even more than Ethan. Why had he picked her over everybody else? She just hoped that he didn't think she was easy. Lizzie laughed out loud at the outrageous thought. She knew better than to date guys like that.  
  
The doorbell rang the next morning at 7:30 sharp. "I got it," Lizzie yelled, grabbing her book bag on her way to answer the door.  
  
"Wait, Lizzie. Where are you going?" Lizzie's mom called after Lizzie.  
  
"School. See you this afternoon." Lizzie ran out the door before her mother could stop her. "Hey, Josh," Lizzie said, breathlessly, closing the front door behind her.  
  
"Hey, you," he replied, slipping his arm around Lizzie's waist and pecking her on the lips, pleasantly surprising Lizzie.  
  
"We better go before my mom comes out here."  
  
"Okay." Josh opened the door for Lizzie and got in on the driver's side. The top to Josh's convertible was down, and as he tore down the street, the wind whipped through Lizzie's hair as the warm sun radiated on her face. This was bliss.  
  
The couple pulled into the parking lot, and Josh whipped his car into a parking space towards the back of the parking lot, away from the people who had showed up at school early to get a good parking spot. He put the top back up on his BMW.  
  
"So, we're early," Josh said, looking hopefully at Lizzie.  
  
"Yeah. You could've parked a lot closer," Lizzie said, naively.  
  
Yeah, but then we would have made a scene when I did this. Josh leaned over to where Lizzie was sitting and kissed her neck.  
  
"Hey, Josh, don't you think this is going a little too fast?" Lizzie asked as Josh started kissing up her neck towards her lips.   
  
"No," he said, between kisses. It felt good. Lizzie couldn't deny that, but she had just met Josh yesterday, and she barely even knew him. Lizzie put her hand on Josh's shoulder and pushed him away gently.  
  
"Let's just take this a bit slower, okay."  
  
"What? Just last night you had no problem kissing me."  
  
"No offence, but I was smashed."  
  
"Well, sorry," Josh said, sighing. "Can I walk you to the school?"  
  
"Sure." Josh got out of the car and opened Lizzie's door, helping her out of the car. They walked into the school holding hands.  
  
That morning, Josh and Lizzie walked around the entire school holding hands, and whenever Josh stopped to talk to his friends, he would put his arm protectively around Lizzie's waist. Lizzie wondered if that was some sort of signal that guys used to claim which girl was theirs, but she thought it was a sweet gesture, nonetheless.  
  
Lizzie and Josh didn't have any classes together, but she got all sorts of comments during the day about the party and Josh.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie. Great party, huh?"  
  
"Nice dancing, Liz."  
  
"Wow, Liz, I never thought a freshman could be the light of a party."  
  
The most popular question, though, was, "Hey, Liz, you and Josh goin steady or what?"  
  
Her reply was always the same. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."  
  
At the end of the day, Lizzie waited for Josh at the entrence of the school so he could give her a ride home. While she was waiting, Gordo approached her.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, you didn't call me back this weekend," he said.  
  
"Sorry, I must've forgotten."  
  
"That's okay. So, I heard that you and Josh are an item."  
  
"Yeah, I guess you could say that."  
  
"Look, are you sure he's the best guy for you?"  
  
"What? Of course he is."  
  
"Well, it's just that I don't think he's the most sincere guy."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, um, I don't think you should date him. Josh is so much older than you."  
  
"That's pretty lame, Gordo. And since when were you my father?"  
  
"Does your father even know that you have a boyfriend?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"Hey, look, I'm just trying to be a good friend and look out for your best interests."  
  
"Gordo, I've been trying to avoid this all year, but I'll just come right out and say it. We're not friends. I can't be popular and your friend at the same time."  
  
"Wow, Lizzie. I never thought that you would be the type to sacrifice true friends for a life of waking up two hours early every morning to wash your hair, using friends for their popularity, and dating guys to make other guys feel jealous."  
  
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. Now, if you would excuse me, my boyfriend will be here at any second, and I don't want to be seen by anybody talking to you."  
  
"Lizzie McGuire, you are making a huge mistake."  
  
"Just go." Gordo turned around and left the building to catch his bus home.  
  
"Hey, sexy," Josh said, coming up behind Lizzie, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her on the head. "I was thinking that maybe we could go cruisin or to a park or somethin."  
  
"A park sounds good. I've had a pretty stressful day. It would be nice to walk off some of my steam."  
  
"Okay, I know where a nice park is," Josh said, opening the door for Lizzie. Once the two were on the road, Josh asked, "So, who was that guy you were talking to?"  
  
"Oh, nobody. Just another freshman."  
  
"How do you know him? Is he in any of your classes? Is he an old friend, or maybe even an ex?"  
  
"Josh, let it go. Gordo's just an old friend from elementary school." Okay, so it wasn't all true, but Gordo was an old friend.  
  
"Sorry," Josh replied, followed by an awkward silence. A few minutes later, the couple pulled into the park thickly covered in trees. Lizzie thought she could see a small path disappear into the forest.  
  
"I've never been to this park before. It looks nice," Lizzie said.  
  
"Yeah, it has a two mile walking path that winds through the trees."  
  
"Great! Let's start walking." Lizzie and Josh took off winding through the trees on a fairly wide path holding hands.  
  
After about a quarter mile, Josh stopped at a bench. "Hey, you about ready to take a break?"  
  
"I didn't think that mister star of the football team would need a break from walking when he runs about 90 miles every day."  
  
"Hey, you know what I mean, beautiful." Josh pulled Lizzie in closer to him and then leaned down and kissed her on the lips. As he did so, he lowered himself and Lizzie to the bench, kissing her the whole way. Lizzie felt shocks travel all through her body from the way Josh kissed her. She had never been kissed like that before, not that she had much to compare it to.  
  
After a few seconds, Lizzie pulled away and said, "Remember what I told you in the car this morning about taking it slowly? Well, that still applies."  
  
"Sorry, I just got caught up in the moment," Josh replied.  
  
"I shouldn't have led you on. What do you say we start walking again." Lizzie took Josh's hand, and they started winding through the trees again.  
  
"So, are you coming to the first football game of the season? It's against Valley High. They're gonna be a tough team to beat, but I promise you that we have a good football team this year," Josh said, breaking the silence they had experienced for the past five minutes.  
  
"I wouldn't miss it for the world. I was talking to Kate about going with her."  
  
"Cool. And if we win, there's gonna be an awesome party at Brad's place."  
  
"Who's Brad?"  
  
"The quarterback. Come on, Liz, you should know these things."  
  
"Hey, I'm workin on it. I'll tell Kate, and maybe she can come too."  
  
"Oh, about that. Don't tell her. It's more of an upperclassman party. I'm just inviting you cause you're my girlfriend. Isn't Kate all over some freshman, anyway?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, if she really wants to be popular, she better start checkin out the older guys cause a freshman won't get her anywhere."  
  
"Well, it's her loss, right? Kate's a total snob anyway. I just hang out with her because she's the one that started me out on the right path."  
  
"Oh, good, I thought that you might have actually been her friend."  
  
"Hey, Lizzie, where were you today? It's six and you're just now getting home. School ended three hours ago," Lizzie mother said as Lizzie walked into the house. "And another thing that I've noticed is that a certain BMW has been whisking my daughter off to school each day, and the owner is a boy."  
  
"Sorry I'm late, but I won't be needing dinner. I got something to eat with, um, this guy." Lizzie could here the warning sirens going off in her mother's head. She had just busted herself.  
  
"And who is this boy? He can obviously drive, so it's not Gordo."  
  
"Well, he's, um, Kate's friend, so he offered to give me a ride home so I wouldn't have to worry about missing the, uh, bus."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you later. You know how high school can be with homework and all." Lizzie rushed up the stairs to her room.  
  
"Wait! Lizzie, what's his name? Is he a good driver? How old is he? I'm not done talking to you," Jo called from the bottom of the staircase. "Something isn't right," Jo said to herself. "For some odd reason I don't think that I should believe her."  
  
A/N: Review so when I put up the next chapter, I can add some of your suggestions to it. 


	7. Go Team

Chapter 7: Go Team  
  
  
  
Lizzie looked around at the mobs of people flocking into the stadium and the mobs that were already there. The Hilridge Football Stadium seemed to reach the sky. Football was huge at Hilridge. The stadium had to seat at least 10,000, and the seats were quickly nearing capacity.  
  
"Lizzie! Over here!" Kate called from the stands. "Cute shirt," she added when Lizzie reached her and a mob of Kate's freshman friends. Many of the girls and guys were decked out in green and gold face paint, hair spray, sports bras, t-shirts, and body paint. Ethan was standing right next to Kate.  
  
Lizzie was wearing a Hilridge High School football T-shirt with Josh's number 34 printed on the back and the name WILLIAMS printed above it. The shirt was green with yellow lettering, matching the school colors. She also had her hair tied back in a green and yellow hair tie and she had a tattoo on her left cheekbone of the school mascot, the eagle.  
  
"Josh gave it to me after school today. He said I was his good luck charm," Lizzie told Kate, proudly.  
  
"Well, I'm glad to see that you finally found and guy, because I don't want you to be too broken up when Ethan and I get together."  
  
"What? But Ethan told me you guys were just friends."  
  
"Oh, Lizzie, I thought that you were over Ethan now, or are you dating Josh just to make him jealous?"  
  
"I, I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"I think you do."  
  
"Can we just watch the game?"  
  
Ethan, who had sort of heard the conversation, but wasn't processing it as quickly, suddenly butted in. "Kate, but we are just friends, aren't we?"  
  
"Shut up Ethan, you don't know what you're talking about," Kate quickly responded.  
  
"Oh, I would love to hear what Ethan has to say. Now, what were you saying about you and Kate being just friends?"  
  
"Well, Kate and I are friends. Right, Kate?"  
  
"I, I have to go."  
  
"But the game hasn't even started yet," Lizzie snootily replied.  
  
"I have to go to the bathroom," Kate snapped. As she ran off, Lizzie could have sworn that she saw a tear come out of Kate's eye. Lizzie couldn't care less, though. It felt good to see Kate cry. After everything that Kate had done to Lizzie, she deserved it.  
  
The game against Valley High was close, but in the end Hilridge came out on top with the final score being 21-20. All of Hilridge was ecstatic when Josh Williams caught the game winning 35 yard pass with no time left on the clock in the back corner of the end zone.  
  
After Josh made his amazing catch, he threw off his helmet, ran to the bleachers, picked Lizzie up over the railing, and still holding her, he kissed her. Lizzie had never felt like she was in the spotlight more than she did right then. Almost the whole stadium started awing. It was a spectacular moment.  
  
That night, Lizzie went to Brad's party with Josh. Her and Josh were the center of attention. Everywhere they went, someone had something to say about Josh's game and the kiss that followed, and everybody made sure that Lizzie and Josh never went without a full cup of beer in their hands.  
  
Josh finally offered to take Lizzie home at 2 a.m. and she was ready. After a steamy make out session with Josh in his car, she snuck inside the front door, which was not an easy task, because the earth seemed to be tilting again, and it took a lot of effort for her to focus on anything.  
  
Lizzie did her best to quietly open the front door to her house and slip inside. She tiptoed up the stairs and started to open the door to her room when the hall light came on and a stern voice said, "Elizabeth Brooke McGuire." Busted. "Turn around and you look me in the eye." It was none other than Lizzie's mother and father. Where on earth have you been?" her mother continued. "We were worried sick."  
  
"Yeah, in case you weren't aware, it's after two in the morning. Last I checked, you're curfew was 11 o'clock," Lizzie's dad added. Lizzie didn't speak. She knew better. Her words were still slurred from the beer she had consumed that night.  
  
Lizzie's parents led her into the living room, and Lizzie worked very hard to walk in a straight line.  
  
"Guess who we saw at the game tonight," Jo said. Lizzie's eyes widened into saucers. They were there? "Yeah, some crazy senior kissed my baby girl in front of about 10,000 people tonight. Then, she disappeared with him for the night only to arrive home at two a.m. Just take a wild guess at what is racing through my mind. And while you're at it, maybe you can explain that wretched smell that seems to have followed you into the house."  
  
Lizzie was didn't know what to do. She knew if she spoke, her parents would find out that she had been drinking, but if she didn't speak, her parents wouldn't let her breathe a breath of fresh air until she was 99. Lizzie took in a deep breath. "I juss wen to a party wih him, an evrybody was so excited to talk to Josh tha we didn get ou o there til a lil for two. Nothin happened," Lizzie said, slurring more than she had hoped she would.  
  
"You're drunk. Oh my god. My baby is drunk," Jo starting screaming at the top of her lungs about responsibility and whatnot. Lizzie couldn't make out a single word that she was saying.  
  
After the screaming stopped, Lizzie's dad continued. "What you're mother is trying to say is that we're speechless, and you're grounded." Lizzie wasn't surprised.  
  
"How long?" Lizzie dared to ask.  
  
"For the rest of your life," Jo answered, her voice shaking. "Now, go to your room."  
  
Lizzie stood up and made her way up to the place she was going to be trapped in for possibly eternity. 


	8. Eternity

Chapter Eight: Eternity  
  
  
  
The next morning, Lizzie woke up with another brutal headache, and with a sudden wave of nausea, she found herself hanging over the toilet once more. After consuming too many Tylenol, taking a shower, and brushing her teeth, Lizzie went downstairs, not looking forward to what she was about to face.  
  
Sure enough, Lizzie's parents were waiting for her when she got into the kitchen, and the looks on their faces didn't look any more forgiving than they did last night.  
  
"Sit down, Lizzie. We need to talk," Jo said through clenched teeth. Lizzie sat down.   
  
"Your father and I took the liberty last night of writing down all the terms to your punishment, which has started right now." Jo pulled out a sheet of white paper covered in writing. "First, you must be home from school absolutely no later than 3:45 everyday. You are also required to ride the bus. Nobody, absolutely nobody, can give you a ride. There will be no T.V., no computer, and no phone. Visitors must be approved by us. Your father and I will also be going through your room and taking out anything you don't need. Oh, and no football games for the rest of this year. Do you understand me?"  
  
"Wait, I was expecting being grounded, but what do you mean by taking out everything in my room that I don't need?" Lizzie asked, feeling slightly panicked.  
  
"That means we'll chose the clothes you can wear, we're taking away most of your make-up, your CDs, and all of those other things you seem to enjoy blowing your allowance on," her mother replied.  
  
"What!?" Lizzie screamed. "You can't take my things. You can ground me, take away   
  
my phone, whatever, but you cannot have my reputation. This isn't fair."  
  
"It's also not fair that you decided to make you parents worried sick by kissing some guy that's four years older than you in front of thousands of people, then getting drunk, and finally coming home several hours after curfew completely wasted. Lizzie, we want to protect you. I never thought that you could do something so stupid," Lizzie's mother replied, her voice raising.  
  
"Let's all just down, take a seat and be more rational," Sam said, before the screams could get any louder. "Now, Lizzie, we have something very serious to tell you, and we want you to be honest with us. I promise that we won't add on anymore punishment than what we gave you already."  
  
"You couldn't if you tried."  
  
"I'm going to ignore that. Now, did you have sex with Josh?"  
  
Lizzie shot up out of her chair. "What the hell? Who the hell do you think I am. I may do stupid things every once in a while, but sex? This is shit. I cannot believe that you just asked me that. I wish I were dead!" Lizzie turned and sprinted up to her room.   
  
"Elizabeth Brook McGuire," Sam roared, getting up to chase after her.   
  
Jo grabbed his arm. "We better let her cool off."  
  
  
  
Gordo was Lizzie's only visitor on Sunday, and much to Lizzie's surprise, her parents let   
  
him in.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lizzie asked Gordo, shocked to seem him at the door to her bedroom.  
  
"Well, you're my friend, and I heard that you got yourself into some trouble, so I'm here to support you."  
  
"Wait. I told you not even a week ago that you weren't my friend, and you showed up anyway?"  
  
"Yeah. Don't think I don't know what happened. People love to talk, but while they believe you have been a popular rebel all of your life, I know better. Don't think I haven't watched you go through every single phase in middle school. Remember Angel? She got you a detention, and you tried to be like her, but Miranda and I got you back. Well, Miranda may not be here, and the circumstances may be a bit more extreme now, but I'm here to help you through this phase."  
  
"Thanks, but this isn't a phase. And I'm sure my boyfriend and Kate would agree with me."  
  
"Lizzie, you're grounded for who knows how long. Don't you think that will put a slight damper on your popular life?"  
  
"Josh and Kate will back me up. You just wait."  
  
"That's just what I intend to do. I'm gonna wait right here until you realize how crazy you've been acting."  
  
"Yeah, I'm crazy, but I like it that way, and you nor my parents are gonna stop me from being who I was meant to be."  
  
"Look, Lizzie, when you wake up from this nightmare, I'll be waiting, but for now, I have to go meet someone at the digital bean."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"A girl I met at international club that I asked out on a date."  
  
"Since when did you have the nerve to ask someone out on a date?"  
  
"Since I met this girl, but you wouldn't know because you don't associate with people like me, remember?"  
  
"Sorry I asked."  
  
"Well, sorry I snapped at you, but I'm sure that my friends would love for you to hang out with you if you're ever interested."  
  
"That's nice, but I have my own friends."  
  
"Fine, Lizzie, but just know that just because I'm leaving your house right now doesn't mean I'm leaving your life forever."  
  
"It's Liz," Lizzie said as Gordo headed out the door.  
  
That Monday, Lizzie rode the bus to school. She walked into the building searching for the one person that might feel bad for her. Josh. She found him talking to his friends.  
  
"Hey Josh," she said, wrapping her arms around him from behind.  
  
"Oh, hey Liz," Josh said turning around, not returning the embrace.  
  
"Oh my gosh. You will not believe what my parents did to me when they caught me   
  
drunk and found out that we were dating. I'm grounded until my parents say I'm free, and they said I can't see you ever again, not to mention, they won't let me go to anymore football games this year. Well, I'll show them. We'll just have to be really sneaky."  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"Hey, are you okay?"  
  
"Well, no. Look, Liz. It's been a lot of fun and all, but I need someone that can support me, you know what I mean?"  
  
"Maybe you could explain."  
  
Josh turned around and looked at his friends. "I'll be back in a sec." He turned around.   
  
"Follow me, Liz." Josh led Lizzie into the corner of a less busy hallway. "What I'm trying to say is that I don't think we are quite moving at the same pace."  
  
"You mean I won't make out with you because I want to take things slower and get to know you before I get to know what you look like undressed?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking more along the lines that I need a girlfriend who doesn't have to sneak around her parents."  
  
"But you would still probably be dating me if I let you take my clothes off."  
  
"I don't want to discuss this."  
  
"Well, I still haven't changed my mind. I'm not gonna take this shit from you. It's over.   
  
See you later," Lizzie said as she stalked off in search of Kate.  
  
"Wait," Josh called out after her. "I was supposed to dump you!"  
  
"Go burn in hell," Lizzie called out over her shoulder. Lizzie started to run as fast as she could, bumping into innocent bystanders talking in the halls. Then, she hit someone straight on. "Excuse me," she mumbled as she backed up.  
  
"Lizzie?" It was none other than Ethan.  
  
"Um, Lizzie, can't you see that I'm trying to have a conversation here?" Kate said, who   
  
had been talking to Ethan before Lizzie showed up.  
  
"Are you okay?" Ethan asked Lizzie, ignoring Kate.  
  
"I don't know," Lizzie said, breaking into sobs. Then, Ethan put his arms around Lizzie, and Lizzie put her head on his chest. It was the nicest thing Ethan had ever done. Kate stood there with her mouth wide open.  
  
"What's up?" Ethan asked Lizzie. Lizzie looked up at Ethan's concerned face.  
  
"It's Josh. He, I mean, I dumped him." She buried her face back into his gray sweater. Kate had already left in a tizzy to the bathroom to flip out.  
  
"I'll walk you to class," Ethan said when the bell rang.  
  
"Okay, thanks."  
  
"You know, you were gettin kinda crazy even for a high schooler. I mean you were cool and all before you got drunk and started dating that Josh dude."  
  
"Thanks." It was the most intelligent conversation Lizzie had ever had with Ethan.  
  
"I'll see you around," Ethan said as Lizzie walked into her class.  
  
Lizzie was walking on air for the rest of the day.  
  
"Hello, Lizzie, how was your day?" Lizzie's mom asked as she walked in the door.  
  
"It's Liz and none of your business." Lizzie didn't even look at her mother as she stalked up to her room. When Lizzie opened the door, she was stunned. Her room was empty. All of her trinkets and her make-up, her jewelry, most of her clothes, her stereo, CDs, and several other things were gone. Lizzie let out a scream.  
  
"Lizzie, what's wrong?" Jo asked, coming up the stairs to meet the stunned Lizzie standing at the entrance to her bedroom. Noticing what Lizzie was freaking out about she said, "Your consequence starts today. You have everything you need. If you get bored you have this thing called a family that will be here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year." Jo turned around and left Lizzie standing there. 


	9. Where I belong

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad to know that my story is liked. Also, thanks for the suggestions, and keep letting me know if you have any more.  
  
Chapter Nine: Where I Belong  
  
Lizzie looked through her very limited wardrobe the next morning. There were a few pairs of plain jeans, a couple shorts, a couple capries, a knee-length black skirt, a few t-shirts and a couple nicer tops that were incredibly modest. Lizzie was still in shock, and now that Ethan was talking to her, she didn't know what to do.  
  
Lizzie finally chose a pair of light blue jeans and a fairly form-fitting orange t-shirt with a little pocket on the front. The only make-up her mom had left for her was a stick of cherry flavored chap stick, which didn't even count in Lizzie's book. She was positive that she wasn't going to make it.  
  
Lizzie glanced at her clock and realized that she really wasn't going to make it to school if she didn't leave right away.  
  
Lizzie was nervous as she walked into Hilridge high school. It seemed like she had already done it a million times before, but this was different. The first person Lizzie saw was Ethan as she entered the school, and Kate wasn't attached to him like an extra arm for the first time that year. "Hey, Ethan. Where's Kate?"  
  
"Hey, Lizzie! You're lookin good as always."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Uh, yeah."  
  
"Well, thanks."  
  
"So, like, how are you?"  
  
"You mean with Josh?"  
  
"Umm."  
  
"I'm so over him. I didn't even really like him in the first place," Lizzie paused and took a deep breath. "Look, I didn't really date Josh cause I liked him. I dated him because I like you."  
  
"Huh? I don't get it."  
  
"Ethan, I was trying to make you jealous by dating Josh. I mean Kate obviously likes you, and I thought that my only shot was by becoming more popular than Kate."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Did you here anything that I just said?"  
  
"Maybe. You don't like Josh."  
  
"That wasn't my point. I don't like Josh because I like you."  
  
"Oh. Didn't we already talk about this last year?"  
  
"Things have changed. I'm popular now. I'm a new person."  
  
"Wait, Lizzie, I didn't turn you down to go to the dance because you weren't popular. You haven't changed one bit either. Underneath your new friends and beer you're still the same old Lizzie that I remember. I like you that way, but we just don't have any… Shoot, what's that word for the science class I'm never gonna pass?"  
  
"Chemistry?"  
  
"Yeah, chemistry. Hey, just because you're you doesn't me you're a boring person. You're really cool, and I liked how you Miranda and Gordo were always so close. I kinda wish I had friends like that."  
  
"Well, that trio is history. Miranda is gone and after the way that I've treated Gordo, he'll probably never speak to me again."  
  
"Not that I know much about friendships like with you, Gordo, and Miranda, but I think Gordo is still your friend. He's not the kinda dude that would just drop his friends because of some phase they're going through."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Yeah, anytime. Where are you going?"  
  
"To find a true friend. I'll see you around."  
  
"I wonder who that is," Ethan muttered to himself, puzzled, as Lizzie disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Gordo kicked his locker for the third time. "Why won't this stupid thing close?" he muttered to himself. As he opened his locker to see what the problem was, a cascade of papers, pencils, textbooks, and various other things rained out of his locker and onto his head. Gordo had gotten really involved in school this year. Since Lizzie and Miranda weren't around anymore, Gordo had joined every single extra curricular activity known to man. He was in Science Olympiad, Chess Club, Teen Court, Academic Challenge, Speech and Debate, and International Club. He had gained several extra books, papers, and things from those to add to his already cluttered locker.  
  
"Hey, you look like you could use some help."  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Gordo looked up into the eyes of none other than Lizzie. "Lizzie. I mean Liz."  
  
"Lizzie's fine. Liz was just another one of those crazy phases I like to freak you out with. And don't even say I told you so."  
  
"Okay, but I think you still have something to say."  
  
"I do. I'm sorry for the way I have treated you, especially for telling you that you weren't my friend anymore because you weren't popular enough for me. You don't deserve that, and I thank you for never giving up on me too. Not even all true friends would have stuck by me like you did. So, apology accepted?"  
  
"Of course. I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too, so are we friends?"  
  
"We've always been friends."  
  
A/N: R/R please! :) 


	10. Time for Transformation

A/N: Hey, thanks for all of the positive feed back! I'm putting in two chapters now because I haven't updated in a while. Chapter Ten: Time for Transformation  
  
The next Saturday afternoon Gordo showed up at Lizzie's front door.  
  
"Hello, David," Lizzie's dad said as he opened the door.  
  
"Hi, can I talk to Lizzie?"  
  
"Uh, I guess, but she's still in trouble, so you can't stay for very long."  
  
"Hi, Gordo," Lizzie said coming down the stairs from her room.  
  
"Hey, Lizzie."  
  
"Come in. Dad, you can go now."  
  
"Oh, right. You have an hour."  
  
"So, how have you been?" Lizzie asked Gordo, leading him into the living room.  
  
"Fine. Has Miranda kept in touch with you at all?"  
  
"No, you?"  
  
"Oh, she wrote a few letters, and we've talked on the phone a couple times."  
  
"So, how's she doing? I think she's still mad at me for the way I treated her last summer. I mean, I wouldn't blame her."  
  
"Well, she's alright. You should talk to her. She'd probably be thrilled to hear from you. You guys can't stop talking for forever."  
  
"It's a lot easier when she's thousands of miles away from here. And even if I did want to speak to her, I'm grounded until I'm like 45."  
  
"Then write to her. Your parents never grounded you from that."  
  
"But…"  
  
"Just do it. You won't regret it. I promise."  
  
"It's just that I don't know where to start."  
  
"Well, you could start by getting out a paper and a pen."  
  
"Okay. What should I write?"  
  
"What would you normally write?"  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Okay, good."  
  
"Now what?"  
  
"This is your letter, not mine. I'm sure you have a lot to tell Miranda and a lot to ask her as well."  
  
"You're right. I think I've got this under control now."  
  
"Well, I was planning on staying for longer, but maybe I'll come back later. You should really work on this letter."  
  
"Wait, you don't have to go yet. I can write this later," Lizzie said as Gordo got up to leave.  
  
"I think you should write it now. There's no sense in you putting it off. I'll be around for a long time, but Miranda is only gonna be here on vacations, so the faster you make amends, the more good times you and Miranda will be able to share together. Plus, I have a speech and debate tournament this afternoon. I'll see you around." Gordo disappeared leaving Lizzie alone. Lizzie really didn't want to see Gordo go. She had just made amends with him, and she was starting to realize that Gordo wasn't the kind of guy that you could just let go. Now only if it wasn't for his girlfriend… Lizzie mentally scolded herself for thinking about her and Gordo like that.  
  
She picked up her pen and started writing.  
  
Dear Miranda,  
  
What's up? How has boarding school been working out for you? Things around here have really changed since you were gone, but everything is almost back to normal now. So are you going to be able to come back here for thanksgiving or am I going to have to wait until Christmas? I would have called you, but I'm kind of grounded for the rest of my life. It's a long story.  
  
-Lizzie-  
  
Lizzie looked at the letter when she finished and smiled sadly. She didn't think she could miss somebody so much that she was supposed to be angry at. Her life had gotten so messed up. She didn't even remember how the guys and drinking and parties had begun. She couldn't just blame Miranda or Gordo. So they wanted to do something different over the summer. That was their decision, not hers.   
  
Lizzie looked down at her letter and quickly wrote:   
  
PS I'm so sorry for the way that I treated you. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me.   
  
Then, she quickly sealed the envelope, addressed it to Miranda and placed it in the mailbox while huskily brushing away a tear that was forming in her eye.  
  
"Lizzie, what do you think you're doing?" Lizzie's mother said coming to the front door.  
  
"Oh, just sending a letter to a friend."  
  
"Well, you need to come inside."  
  
"Okay." Lizzie walked up to her mother who was still standing in the doorway. "Mom, can we talk?"  
  
"Sure honey. Why don't we go in the living room."  
  
"Okay." Lizzie followed her mother and sat down on the couch next to her mother.  
  
"What's on your mind, honey?"  
  
"Well…" Lizzie starting explaining to her mother how Miranda and Gordo had left for the summer and then how she befriended Kate and how her and Josh hooked up and why she got drunk.  
  
"Oh, honey," her mother said after Lizzie finished talking. "Being a teenager is never going to be easy. There's a ton of peer presser out there and when a guy that seems like prince charming walks along, giving in just seems so much easier than standing up for yourself."  
  
"Yeah, he was a senior and he was popular. I thought that if I dated him I could get Ethan jealous, but I forgot that Ethan doesn't think like that, or much at all for that matter. So when Josh offered me a beer, I thought it would make me even cooler. I did it all just because of a guy."  
  
"I understand where you're coming from. I was a teenager once too, but that still doesn't excuse you from drinking or dating guys like Josh. You are incredibly lucky to have friends like Gordo and Miranda to fall back on."  
  
"You know how many times I've heard that? Even Kate told me that once in eighth grade."  
  
"Well, they're right."  
  
"Thanks for talking with me. I feel a lot better now."  
  
"Me too." Lizzie reached over and hugged her mother. Jo returned the hug and kissed her on the forehead. "If you ever need to talk to me, I'll be right here." A/N: Well, what do you think? 


	11. Lizzie and Who?

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter!   
  
Chapter 11: Lizzie and Who?  
  
A month went by and Lizzie worked hard to make amends with her family, especially her mom. And after a while she actually started to enjoy spending so much time with her family. Every Friday night they started to have a family game night that Gordo usually managed to be a part of.   
  
Gordo was actually spending a lot of time at the McGuire house keeping Lizzie company.  
  
"I can't believe we have only one more day of school until Thanksgiving break. It seems like school started just yesterday," Lizzie said to Gordo who was visiting Lizzie that Thursday afternoon.  
  
"Yeah," Gordo wistfully replied.  
  
"I sent Miranda that letter exactly a month ago today, and she still hasn't written me back. What if she isn't going to forgive me."  
  
"I'm sure she'll forgive you. Maybe she's just waiting for the right moment to accept your apology," Gordo said with a sly grin.  
  
"How do you wait for the right moment when you're sending a letter? And why are you grinning like that?"  
  
"Like what?" Gordo asked, trying to conceal his smile.  
  
"You know something. Tell me or I'll… or I'll hit you with this pillow." Lizzie grabbed a pillow on the couch she was sitting on.  
  
"What smile?" Lizzie raised her pillow, ready for war. "You'll find out really soon. Please don't hurt me, but before Lizzie could nail Gordo, he grabbed a pillow and hit Lizzie's arm.  
  
"Hey, that's not fair!"  
  
"What, defending myself?"  
  
"Yeah." Lizzie hit Gordo on the side of his head.  
  
"Hey, this means war." Gordo started attacking Lizzie with his pillow. Lizzie grabbed another pillow and started attacking Gordo from both sides. Then, knocked Lizzie over, who was uncontrollably laughing, and Lizzie grabble Gordo's ankles and he fell down on top of her. The two became silent and they stared into each other's eyes. Before either of them knew what was happening, Gordo reached down and softly kissed Lizzie on the lips. Then, Gordo quickly got up. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking," Gordo stammered as he started walking towards the door.  
  
"No, wait. You can't just leave now," Lizzie called after him, but Gordo was already out the door, running down the McGuire driveway. "Gordo, wait," Lizzie screamed, running out the door and after Gordo who was nearly halfway down the street already. Lizzie stopped at the edge of her yard, remembering her punishment, but she quickly pushed that out of her head and starting running after Gordo again.  
  
She finally caught up with him in a park between their houses and grabbed Gordo's arm. "We have to talk," she panted.  
  
"No. There's nothing to talk about."  
  
"Nothing to talk about?" She wondered if Gordo had lost his mind. "You just kissed me and we have nothing to talk about? Maybe you could start with your reason for kissing me. And what about your girlfriend?"  
  
"I just got caught up in the moment. I'm sorry."  
  
"David Gordon. I know you a whole lot better than that, and I know for a fact that you're not the kind of guy who gets caught up in the moment or the type to cheat on his girlfriend."  
  
"What girlfriend?"  
  
"That international club chick."  
  
"Oh. We went on a couple dates, but she talked too much, so I dumped her almost a month ago."  
  
"Then why did you kiss me?"  
  
"Okay, fine. You wanna know the truth? I'll tell you. Lizzie, you are my best friend. I don't know where I would be without you, especially after Miranda left."  
  
"Well, I wasn't exactly the best friend to have after she left."  
  
"That doesn't matter. You're still my best friend and that will never change. Remember when I was gonna tell you something after that mystery party we had, or after Ronny broke up with you and I told you how beautiful you were and then I tried to say something else? All of those times I lost the nerve to say this. Lizzie, I like you, not as a friend, but as someone that I want to spend my life with. Don't you get it? I don't want to just go out with you. I want to date you."  
  
Lizzie studied Gordo's eyes. She was stunned, but at the same time she wasn't surprised. "I don't know what to say."  
  
"Say something. Lizzie, when I saw you and Ronny kiss, I was stunned and jealous. When you and Frankie Munez tried dating, I told you not to, not because he was famous, but because I wanted to date you. Remember when I wrote you rock, don't ever change. Only I really mean it? I wrote that because I really did mean it. Now, I've said my part. It's your turn."  
  
"Gordo, I. What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to confess my undying love for you?"  
  
"That would beat being speechless."  
  
"But I don't love you."  
  
"Could you at least give dating me a chance?"  
  
"I have just been through a lot, and you were there every step of the way, not matter how I treated you, but if we didn't work out, I would lose one of my best friends. Gordo, don't break my heart."  
  
"I won't. I promise I won't." Gordo leaned in towards Lizzie and kissed her again.  
  
Lizzie looked into Gordo's eyes. "Well, I hope you're ready for this phase of our life."  
  
"This isn't a phase. I won't let it be." The two stood in the park, enjoying the comfortable silence between the two of them, none wanting to break it.  
  
Suddenly, Lizzie remembered her punishment. "Oh, crap. I have to go home," she blurted out.  
  
"Hey, I'll visit you tomorrow."  
  
"You better." Lizzie turned around and ran all the way home.   
  
She jogged up to the front door of her house, grinning and quietly opened the door and snuck up to her bedroom.  
  
"Lizzie, is that you?" her dad called from the back porch.   
  
"Yeah, I'm in my room," Lizzie called back, her heart skipping a beat.  
  
"It's your turn to set the table for dinner."  
  
"Oh, okay. I'll be right down." Lizzie leaned against her closed bedroom door and sighed in relief, a giant smile taking over her face.  
  
Then, Lizzie floated down the stairs to set the table, grinning and humming the whole way.  
  
"Wow, somebody looks happy," Lizzie's mom said as Lizzie floated into the kitchen.  
  
"You could say that," Lizzie replied, getting a stack of plates out of the cupboard.  
  
"I've seen that grin before, and if I didn't know better, I would think you got kissed."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"What? You got kissed? By who? I swear if it was Josh, I will ground you until…"  
  
"Mom, chill. Josh is a moron. I wouldn't even touch him."  
  
"Then wh… Gordo kissed you?"  
  
"Yep. It was the best thing ever. You know how you always tell me I should marry my best friend? Well, Gordo is defiantly my best friend.  
  
"Whoa! You are fifteen years old. You don't need to think about marriage now or anytime soon."  
  
"Hey, I'm just saying."  
  
"Well, just be careful."  
  
"I will. You know Gordo, and I know you trust him. You have nothing to worry about."  
  
A/N: One more chapter to go! Tell me if you think I did a good job putting Lizzie and Gordo together and how I can make it better next time. 


	12. How It Was

Chapter 12: How it Was  
  
The next afternoon, Gordo visited Lizzie like he promised, but he declined his invitation to stay for dinner and said something about meeting someone somewhere and said he would be back.  
  
A couple hours later, at about 7:30, the doorbell rang.  
  
"I got it," Lizzie yelled bounding out of her bedroom, expecting it to be Gordo. She opened the door. "Miranda!" she screamed and embraced her friend in a bear hug. After a few seconds she let go. "I thought you weren't coming back until Christmas break."  
  
"Well, I changed my mind. Hey, you mind if we come in?"  
  
"We?"  
  
"Yeah, me and Gordo."   
  
Lizzie looked behind Miranda to see Gordo standing there with the same smirk that he had the day that he and Lizzie had the pillow fight. "You knew about this all along you sly dog."  
  
"Hey, what can I say? I thought you might enjoy a surprise."  
  
"Well, come in. We have a ton of things to catch up on. I haven't really talked to you guys since the end of eighth grade." Lizzie led her friends into the living room. "So, why are you here?"  
  
"Well, boarding school was a lot of fun, but I realized that I can do the same things that I did there thousands of miles closer to home."  
  
"Wait, so you're not here to visit?"  
  
"Nope, I'm here to stay."  
  
"Really? No joke?"  
  
"Nope. I missed you. When I got that letter in the mail from you, I realized that where I belong is right here at home."  
  
"So, will you forgive me for becoming a Kate clone?"  
  
"Of course. You guys are my best friends. There is no way I'm gonna let a manipulative girl like Kate come in the way of our friendship."  
  
"My mom sure wasn't kidding when she told me that you guys are the kinda friends that everybody dreams of having."  
  
"Speaking of your parents, you told me that they grounded you for the rest of your life."  
  
"Oh, it's a long story."  
  
"Well, you've got at least three more years to talk, so you had better start now."  
  
"Well, it all started at this day camp that my mom sent me off to for the summer." Lizzie went on to explain all of the crazy and stupid things she had done including Josh, the beer, and the parties, and how Gordo was there for her the whole time. "So then Gordo professed his undying love for me, and I'm now not only happier, but I've got a boyfriend that actually cares about me." Lizzie looked over at Gordo and gave him a smile that made his heart melt.  
  
"Wow. I can't believe it. You totally go off on a deep end and then in the end you still get the guy. I can't believe that my two best friends are dating. This is gonna be weird."  
  
"Don't worry. Lizzie and I are still friends, but we're just now unavailable and we get lots of perks." Lizzie blushed.  
  
"Okay. We'll see how this works out. I could never lose my two favorite amigos."  
  
Gordo and Miranda left at ten o'clock when Lizzie's mom finally pushed them out the door.  
  
"So, Miranda's here to stay?" Lizzie's mom asked her after Lizzie's friends were gone.  
  
"Yeah. I feel like my life is finally back to normal again, except that I'm happier now."  
  
"Well, you certainly are right about everything feeling like what is used to, which is why your father and I have decided to lift your punishment."  
  
"Cool, thanks."  
  
"That's it? No screaming and jumping around?"  
  
"Well, at first I thought I would never make it. I mean I felt like I had lost everything, but in the end, what I lost actually made me gain a lot more, so as crazy as this may seem, thanks for taking everything away."  
  
"Um, your welcome."   
  
Lizzie hugged her mom, and then they went into the basement to get all of Lizzie's things back into her room.  
  
The End  
  
A/N:  
Well, what did you think? That was my first fan fic ever. I'm now debating between writing a story about Kate getting pregnant and turning to Lizzie for help or Lizzie going to England as an exchange student for a semester and returning to find that Gordo and Miranda have changed a lot. Let me know which one seems cooler. 


End file.
